1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for use in conjunction with dental floss, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a flossing tool which the flosser manipulates primarily by use of the flosser's thumb and index finger rather than wrist action.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,598, Lee, discloses a dental floss applicator which utilizes a single capstan to simultaneously advance the floss, generate floss tension, and hold the tension once generated. The capstan includes supply and take-up capstan portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,336, Kuo, is for a dental floss applicator which consists of a fork and a pair of elongated legs projecting from an elongated handle, a floss storage container positioned on the handle, and a reel on one side of the handle. Rotation of the reel withdraws a continuous string of ental floss under tension from the container and passes the dental floss from the container along the length of one leg, across the distance between the tips of the legs, along the length of the other leg, and onto a rotatable post on the underside of the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,807, Huskey, is for a dental flossing aid. A supply of dental floss is mounted on an elongated member. Dental floss from the supply is threaded through a series of apertures in the elongated member. The apertures develop tension in the dental floss to resist the removal of floss from the floss supply. A pushkey assembly relieves tension in the dental floss so new floss can be withdrawn from the supply.
U.S. Pat. Des. No. 319,710, Lorenzana et al., is for an ornamental design for a dental floss tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,210,207, Roach, is for a dental floss holder. A supply of dental floss is contained within a tubular handle having an opening through which a strand of dental floss is drawn. The free end of the floss is wound about a yoke at the outer end of the tubular handle so that a small portion of the strand of dental floss can be placed within the operator's teeth without requiring the operator to insert fingers in the mouth.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,719, Ford, is for a dental floss holder with rotary floss tensioning means. A supply of dental floss, located within the handle portion, dispenses a strand of dental floss which is held taut across a pair of spaced arms for insertion into the spaces between the teeth.
The prior art includes a variety of dental floss holders which permit the operator (also referred to herein as "user" or "flosser") to insert a strand of dental floss into the flosser's mouth, but each device includes deficiencies. The flossing tool is manipulated by the flosser in the same manner as the flosser would manipulate a tooth brush, that is, by wrist and hand control. The small motor control required for precise manipulation of the dental floss between adjacent teeth is not achievable with wrist and hand control. Several of the prior art devices store soiled floss in close proximity to new floss, thereby promoting contamination of new floss by contact with soiled floss.
The prior art devices generally include a mechanism for providing tension on the strand of dental floss, but they do not permit adjustment of the tension. Greater tension is required for insertion of the dental floss between teeth which are touching or nearly touching, whereas lesser tension is required for insertion between teeth which have relatively larger spaces between them.
Finally, the prior art devices are, for the most part, disposable devices. That is, the flosser must dispose of the entire dental flossing tool and purchase a new tool containing new dental floss.